"Fish is from a local fisher, and pigeons from a local grower. We grow as much as we can, and source the rest from a very local supplier. We compost everything for the garden, and make our own yoghurt and bread.”

Seared local squab with parsnip custard and fried Granny Smiths; warm quince with goat’s ricotta, black rice cake, and vanilla ice cream; and potato gnocchi with black truffle, veal, and sage meatballs.

Going strong since 1994, Lebrina is at its heart an experience of old-meets-new Hobart. The setting is a mid-nineteenth-century townhouse, with diners scattered through stately rooms, while chef and owner Scott Minervini does French and Italian things to the best and freshest Tasmanian produce.

A twice-cooked soufflé is made with local cheeses (Pyengana Cheddar or Nova’s Dromedary Farm chévre), local kingfish is simply pan-fried and served with celeriac salad and sauce ravigote, and local venison with Venetian bread sauce and a peppery glaze is a big-night-out favourite. The kitchen garden has a broad remit, from kaffir limes to horseradish, figs, and rare chillies.

Hobart dining is getting more exciting by the minute, while Lebrina quietly carries on its business of turning local produce into fine dining.

“Minervini is always on a quest to provide his customers with a better dining experience. However, his cooking remains soulful, produce-driven, and rooted in tradition and technique, eschewing fleeting, fickle fads which seem to dazzle less-experienced chefs.”

–Sue Dyson and Roger McShane, Food Tourist